The U.S. military forces currently are facing a variety of low-cost air-borne threats that include unguided rockets, mortars, unmanned aerial vehicles and cruise missiles. The traditional response to these threats has been to engage them with sophisticated guided missiles. Such guided missile engagements are technically viable but very expensive. A more cost-effective means of countering the low-cost threats would be to use guided medium caliber (20 mm-40 mm) projectiles.
Such projectiles can be launched out of guns that are positioned on combat vehicles. Guns possess significant operational advantages over other weapon systems in local air defense and other close engagements, the primary advantage being a significant increase in the number of stowed kills. Hundreds of medium caliber gun rounds can be stored in the same space as ten missiles. Additionally, bullets carry a substantial cost savings over missile systems, thereby allowing a more liberal use-during the battle.
However, to be effective, guns must have some capabilities that are not normally required by an artillery system: specifically, a very short targeting time, capability against highly agile targets and enhanced precision. Guided smart munitions would provide such capabilities. Further, they would alleviate any targeting errors that may result from launch biases and improve lethality by allowing enhanced aimpoint selection.
A critical aspect in the development of guided projectiles is the power generation to provide power to the guiding means that will reside inside the projectiles. The power generating means must be lightweight and suitable for incorporation into an environment that has limited space and is subject to significant spin rates and high shock loading.